The Use of Geographic Information Systems by Law Enforcement Agencies and Its Impact on Police Performance (original) (raw)
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The use of geographic information systems (GIS) for state and local crime analysis
Until quite recently, the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the purpose of mapping crimes in the United States was limited to a small group of geographers with an esoteric knowledge of the mechanics of map digitizing and mainframe computer technology. In recent years, however, the marked reduction in the price of personal computer hardware, along with the availability of comparatively more user-friendly desktop mapping programs, has resulted in numerous efforts in law enforcement agencies across the country. The academic community in the U.S. has also made significant strides in the spatial analysis of crime. This paper will trace the growth of spatial and temporal crime analysis and summarize the current state of the field in the United States. It concludes with an overview of future efforts.
CRIME MAPPING IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS: THE CHALLENGES OF BUILDING A MAPPING SYSTEM
This paper identifies the challenges facing police depart- ments that seek to implement computerized crime mapping systems. The first part of the paper highlights the importance of police depart- ments identifying primary "end-users" and then designing systems that accomplish the tasks specific to the needs of their end-users. Data transfer, geocoding, data integration, system customization, and confi- dentiality issues are discussed. The second part of the paper illustrates the practicalities of implementing geographic mapping systems drawing from our experiences with the Drug Market Analysis Program. We pro- file the Jersey City, NJ crime mapping system to highlight some of the
Journal of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association
1999
This paper reviews modern crime analysis with regard to the research and educational challenges outlined by the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science. In the context of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), attention is devoted to the role that crime analysis currently and potentially plays in reducing crime and improving the efficiency of police activity. It is our aim to stimulate interest in advancing crime analysis in the areas of crime mapping and visualization. It is hoped that an outcome of this effort will be the attention that granting agencies may give to this rich and productive mixture of state-of-the-art technology and social responsibility.
This work used Geographic Information Systems to create crime maps and analyze crime distribution within the Dansoman Police Subdivision in Accra, Ghana. It was done on a pilot basis and is intended to enable senior officers have a visual framework for prescribing action. Spatial data of 142 crime incidents namely Assault, Causing Damage, Defilement, Fraud, Rape, Robbery, Stealing and Unlawful Entry was analyzed using ArcGis®v10 software. A summary of the attribute table showed that Assault, Causing Damage and Unlawful Entry had the highest counts of 22 each while Rape and Stealing had the least counts of 12 each. Pin maps produced gave a graphical representation of crime locations against a backdrop of roads, existing police stations and district boundaries. Kernel density estimation maps showed the Mamprobi district had a high density of crime even though it was the smallest district. An average nearest neighbor spatial statistics analysis revealed that all incidents exhibited a random nature apart from Rape and Stealing which were statistically dispersed. None of the 8 crime types was found to be statistically clustered. The mean centers of the crimes were plotted and found to be within a 1 km radius.It is recommended that crime spatial data is collected over longer periods instead of a few months and should also include attribute data such as time, date and personal information of the perpetrators. The results of this analysis could be used as a predictive and tactical tool by the Ghana Police Service. 1. Introduction In general a Geographic Information System (GIS) can be described as a system of hardware, software, data and organizational structure for collecting, storing, manipulating and spatially analyzing geo-referenced data and displaying information resulting from these processes. A more detailed definition describes a GIS as any information management system that can: • Collect, store and retrieve information based on spatial location • Identify locations within a targeted environment that meet specific criteria • Explore relationships among data sets within that environment • Analyze the related data spatially as an aid to making decisions about that environment • Facilitate selecting and passing data to application-specific analytical models capable of assessing the impact of alternatives on the chosen environment; and • Display the selected environment both graphically and numerically either before or after analysis. The thread that is common to both definitions is that in a GIS, decisions are made based on spatial analyses performed on data sets that are referenced in a common geographical system. GIS has been applied in virtually every imaginable field of activity from engineering to agriculture and from medical science of epidemiology to wildlife management. (Ghilani and Wolf, 2012) The use of GIS in law enforcement, crime prevention and general policing is therefore not an entirely new phenomenon with much of the innovation in crime mapping being driven in the United States by the National Institute of Justice's Crime Mapping and Research Center (CRMC) later renamed as the Mapping and Analysis for Public Safety (MAPS). This has served as a foundation for the development of crime mapping in many countries worldwide. (Chainey and Ratcliff, 2005) Crime mapping is the direct application that comes from considering the inherent geography in crime. It combines the skills of people, the practical use of data and information, and the application of technology to capture, analyse, identify and respond to crime problems and improve policing performance. Crime mapping techniques can also be applied to other police data such as incidents, offenders, victims, stops and searches. (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scs/people/academic-research-staff/spencer-chainey/Slides/Home\_Office\_CrimeMapping) Using GIS, crime analysts can overlay other datasets such as census demographics, locations of pawn shops, liquor shops and bars, schools, etc., to better understand the underlying causes of crime and help law enforcement administrators to devise strategies to deal with the problem. GIS is also useful for law enforcement operations, such as allocating police officers and dispatching to emergencies.
Crime Mapping and Geographical Information Systems in Crime Analysis
Crime Mapping and Geographical Information Systems in Crime Analysis, 2016
As essential apparatus in crime analysis, crime mapping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are being progressively more accepted by police agencies. Development in technology and the accessibility of geographic data sources make it feasible for police departments to use GIS and crime mapping. GIS and crime mapping can be utilized as devices to discover reasons contributing to crime, and hence let law enforcement agencies proactively take action against the crime problems before they become challenging. The purpose of this study is to conduct a literature review of Geographical Information System and Crime Mapping in Crime Analysis and to propose policy recommendations regarding to implementation of crime mapping and GIS. To achieve this purpose, first a historical evaluation of GIS and crime mapping will be rendered and then the importance of place will be explained in terms of assessing crime problems accurately.
1997
To address crime-related problems in their communities, police departments are increasingly involved in interagency work groups. As community policing and problem-oriented strategies are implemented, these groups are likely to include businesses, community organizations, and non-governmental agencies. Because these partnerships strive to reduce crime and disorder and to promote public safety, they often rely on police agencies for guidance. One of the tools that has promoted successful collaboration among the partners is geographical information, which focuses attention on the problems and needs of a particular neighborhood or community and uses the target area to garner community and government agency support for new initiatives. Maps provide a visual tool for displaying crime data that consist of events (criminal activities) and places (crime locations). Police departments are increasingly using maps to understand crime and deAddress correspondence to: Faye Taxman, University of M...
International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research, 2015
This paper examines the use of GIS in the development of a crime analysis information system for the Nigeria police. In recent times, criminality has been on the increase with criminals using new and more sophisticated ways to commit crime; resulting to fear and restlessness among the citizens. They police have found it difficult to manage and control these crimes largely due to the obsolete methods and resources they employ in doing so. The purpose of this study is to see how the Nigerian Police Force can adopt the use of crime maps in its operations and reap the benefits. The system will help the police in the analysis of crimes which will lead to crime hotspots identification. Using ArcGIS Software 10.0, we created a digital land use map of crime hotspots in the area and a crime-geospatial database. The results of the spatial analysis and a 500m buffering done on the data shows that areas that are more vulnerable to crime, have no police stations situated around them. This study shows that a GIS based Information system will give the police better insights into crime mapping and analysis which will be a tool to help them effectively manage and combat crime. This study recommends full government involvement in the area of human personnel and infrastructure development for the police to effectively change from the traditional to GIS based ways of combating crime.
Geography of Crime and Geographic Information Systems
Journal of Forensic Sciences & Criminal Investigation, 2017
Short historical overview of criminological theories with a spatial component Majority of criminological theories are based on researching the offender, the victim or the situation in which a criminal act has been committed and these theories have been developed under the influence of psychological and sociological trends Abstract A link between human geography and criminology has been established as a result of the development of strong parallel that has existed in science for decades, similar to how criminology was predominantly put in the focus of sociology due to the series of paradigm shifts. Cognitive mapping, environmental perception and values and meanings attributed to "place", "space" and "environment" have constructed a framework for interaction between criminology and human geography and for development of geography of crime. Spatial data analysis through geographic information systems is becoming more popular in crime mapping and crime analysis in contemporary police organizations and their usage is limitless. Geographic information system as an analytical instrument is also used for pattern analysis or for analysis of spatial crime distribution model and for researching spatial relations between crime and other demographic and socioeconomic factors by using visual representation of spatial data. Along with usual implementation of traditional methods, geographic information systems contribute in directing crime investigations to a certain area of probable locations of residence, other activities and the offender's itinerary. Due to its significant impact on the quality of police work, as well as policy and decision making on operational, tactical and strategic levels, modern police organizations use GIS in their daily work in order to prevent and reduce crime rates.